I love old, vintage and shabby. Give me a white picket fence & farmhouse with chickens, horses and grandchildren any day. I love to garden and watch things blossom. Nature is amazing all by itself. I love "old souls" who know the meaning of life and are willing to share it with you. Watching the waves crash against the beach is better than therapy. I wish I learned how to surf. But I will teach my grandchild. PS. I have integrated my etsy shop into this blog.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Strawberries can be grown in many different ways. In the ground, in pots, rain gutters, on a fence and up a wall. One of my favorite desserts is strawberry short cake which is very easy to make. Strawberry picking with your children can be an adventure. They can be found in local farmers market by the quart. Ready to eat, make pies or freeze for latter use.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Tomatoes are they a veggie or a fruit? Either way they are as versatile as a food can be. They come in many shapes and colors. Red, green, purple, orange and yellow. You can eat them fried, sauteed, stewed, grilled or as plain as day. Maybe a little sea salt will do. Oh, their names: beefsteak, cherry, plum, roma, and many heirloom varieties. Pear, round, oval, oblong, small, medium and large are the sizes of these wonders.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

I have been growing herbs for 25 years. They are usually pretty easy to grow and the deer are not fond of them. My favorite is basil. Any kind of basil is good. I have a pot of it by the front door when I pass I pluck a few leaves just to carry around it enjoy the aroma. I also do this with lavender. Here are a few photos that I hope you will enjoy. Happy Gardening.

Drying herbs is a way to preserve them.

There are so many varieties of basil to choose from. Lemon, Thai, Italian, be sure to pick off the white flowering part on the top to have continued growth.

You can grow them in containers as shown. On a fence or in hanging shoe caddies. Use old silverware with wine corks to name them. Pretty clever.

Monday, July 7, 2014

There is nothing like homemade apple pie. Picking the apples in a beautiful apple orchard with your grandchildren. Letting them make their own choices of apples gives them a feeling that they are helping with the baking too.

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Life on a farm can be hard yet so rewarding. Growing your own food and raising animals takes a lot of patience. Canning and smoking meats to get you through the rough times is challenging. Oh but the prize is in the peaceful times of making a apple pie getting your fresh eggs from the barn. Watching your horses and cows graze in the fields. Sitting down with a cup of tea with your neighbors on the front stoop. Watching the sun go down in the west.